The Other Side of the Heart: Memories of Nobody
by Captain Terra
Summary: Time is running out for Sora and Roxas. Will the keyblade bring destruction it has long been foretold of, or will the keybearer rewrite it's dark past and fix his old mistakes?
1. Memories of Nobody

The Other Side of the Heart

Author's note: Yes, well it was only a matter of time before this happened. I finally wrote a KH fanfic. This is Yaoi, for those of you who are wondering, so if you don't like yaoi or the pairings contained herein, why not save us both some time and go read something you DO like? 

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of it's characters. I do own any original characters contained in the story, and also it's plot. Please do not use my character's without permission, that's all I ask. I promise I won't bite your heads off if you do want to use them, I only ask to remain informed. Other than that, go nuts!

Chapter 1: Memories of Nobody

The wind gusted across the long fields of blue-green grass, making it appear as an ocean. The blonde-haired boy stood at the edge of the field, where the grass sea ended and his city began, watching it with unfocused blue eyes.

Something strange was carried in on the wind that day. Something that made Roxas feel ill and uneasy. He lifted his eyes from the rippling grass to the sky above him. Normally it was a perfect azure blue, dotted by white puffy clouds. Today, it had a distinct green cast, and wall of dark storm clouds were making their way swiftly over the land, casting a shadow everywhere.

Roxas stared at those clouds, as if he was unable to look away from them. He felt their shadow drift over him, and as he did, he looked behind him. His own shadow had disappeared, blending into the shade around him. But it didn't seem like ordinary shade. It seemed darker, thicker...alive some how.

Roxas made a gasp of shock as what he assumed was only his imagination suddenly burst into being. The shadow was alive. Alive and angry. It became thick and gelatinous, and moved across his sneakers, climbing up his legs.

The boy moved frantically, trying to pull away from the goo. It continued to entwine itself with him, snaking up his legs and wrapping long black tendrils around his arms. The more Roxas struggled, the more it grew.

The blonde-haired boy threw his eyes upward again as the blackness slithered around his throat, and oozed across his face.

"SORA!!"

Sora let out a choking gasp as he sat bolt-upright in the bed, knocking pillows and his alarm clock to the floor in a simultaneous gesture. He sat there gasping, covered in a fine cold sweat, his unruly spikes of brown hair jutting up in even more bizarre patterns, and flattened against the sides of his face where he had laid on them.

He took big heaving breaths, as if he could not get enough air in his lungs. The blonde-boy's terrified blue eyes seemed to be seared into his vision. When he would close his eyes, even to blink, he would see them.

But slowly the dream gave way to reality. Sora was sitting in his room, with bay window across the room from his bed wide open, letting in the morning sea-breeze.

A warm arm slithered around his waist, and it's warm body pressed up against his. Riku blinked up sleepily at the tan boy, his eyes still full of sleep, and unfocused. "...you 'kay?" he mumbled.

Sora looked down at the silver-haired boy, as his dream began to slip away. "Yeah...just a bad dream, that's all." he answered.

"Another nightmare?" Riku asked, this time sounding less groggy and more himself. He looked at the decimated night stand and the tangle of sheets that Sora was entrapped in. He began to tug at the linens as Sora watched him. "That's the third this month, Sora. You're starting to worry me." he said.

Sora didn't answer, and instead fell into Riku's chest, pressing his face against the other boy's bare chest. Riku put his arms around him and kissed sweat-dampened hair. Sora did this whenever he would rather not talk about something.

"Do you feel better now, though?" he asked.

"Mmmph." Sora grunted against his boyfriend's skin.

Riku smirked and rolled his eyes. "That's not an answer."

"I'm fine." Sora mumbled.

"Good, cause you stink like sweat. You need a shower." Riku grinned, nipping his ear. Sora smacked him in the face with the remaining pillow. Rather than finish untangling himself, the tan boy simply climbed out of bed, sheets and all following after, leaving Riku sitting in his boxers on the lonely mattress.

"Can't you get out of bed like a normal person?" he grunted.

"Nope." Sora answered, dropping all the bedclothes on the floor and padding his way across the hard-wood floor off the bedroom to the bathroom. It crossed his mind that if his parents ever knew that _this_ was what he meant by sleeping over at Riku's to study, they'd probably lock him up till he graduated.

His mother and father however, realized that Sora wasn't a little boy anymore, and they tried to give him as normal a life as they could, despite all that had transpired. They had no idea what had really happened to Sora in the two years he had disappeared from their lives. Sora never talked about it, one way or the other. A lot of families had been displaced after the hurricane, and they figured Sora felt more connected to Riku and Kairi, who had shared the terrifying experience of being "lost at sea."

The school counselor had advised them not to rush Sora into explaining things, or talking about his trauma.

But Sora knew he'd never be able to explain to his parent's what had really happened. So this was as good a reason as any.

Riku climbed out of bed as well, and began picking up the broken pieces of alarm clock, along with a broken water glass, and the picture frame. It had survived the fall better than it's companions, and Riku dusted it off, looking at the photograph inside. It seemed grotesquely old, the children in it being only six or seven, and that seemed like a life-time ago to Riku.

He placed it back on the night stand, and discarded the trash before picking up the sheets and heaving them into the hamper.

Then he heard a thunk against the window. He blinked and turned around. A moment later, another pebble soared up and smacked against the glass again. Riku walked over to the window and peered down.

"Riku!" a voice drifted up. The silver-haired boy peered down from the second story to see the red-head girl looking back at him, waving.

"Good morning, Kairi!" he called.

"Are you two coming down soon? I thought we were going surfing today!" she yelled.

"We'll be down in a minute." He answered. She nodded and took off sprinting down the beach. Riku grimaced at the awkward way she moved when she ran. Kairi, bless her heart, was such a ditz sometimes.

He padded his way down the stairs of the old beach front house and made his way into the kitchen. When they had been younger, this is where Sora and his family spent every summer. But after the hurricane, they visited less frequently. The other houses on the island had been in disrepair, and for some strange reason, none of the residents seemed eager to fix them.

But for Sora, Riku, and Kairi, the place was still a paradise, still their own private island in this world.

Riku made his way through the kitchen, where they had left their empty Chinese cartons and soda bottles from last night sitting out, and stepped out the kitchen door. Kairi was waiting on the stoop for him, already in her swim suit.

"You look like you had a rough night." She mused, looking up at him. Riku flopped down on the stoop beside her, looking out at the expanse of beach and waves beyond.

"Sora had another nightmare." he answered.

Kairi paused for a moment, taking that information in, "You think it's serious then?" she asked.

The silver-haired boy sighed. "I was hoping it would pass, but it doesn't seem like it's going to." he answered.

"Well have you talked to him about it?" she pressed.

"He doesn't want to talk about it, Kairi." Riku snapped slightly. She frowned at him. "Well you don't have to get pissy with me about it," she pouted.

"I'm not. But I don't think we should discuss this right now." he answered, still more harshly then he meant to.

"Fine." Kairi shrugged. She gave him a long side-glance. "So...boxers, huh?" she smirked.

"Shut up." Riku grunted.

Sora came down then, already dressed in his swimming trunks. "Hey Kairi!" he greeted, his usual cheerful self. He glanced down at his boyfriend. "Riku aren't you going to get dressed, geez." he scoffed.

Riku stood up smoothly. "Screw you guys." he grunted, heading back into the house.

"Love you!" Sora called after him. He looked back at Kairi. "He's cranky this morning, big baby."

She giggled at him. "You two are so cute."

"Whatever. Come on, I wanna get out there before Tidus and the others show up." he insisted, grabbing her hand.

The seasons never seemed to change on Destiny Island.

Though summer had passed months ago, the heat was still sweltering. While school and preparing for college entrance exams took up most of the young student's time and reminded them of the season, weekends were still like summer vacation.

Morning passed into the sweltering afternoon, and the Destiny Island gang sought shelter from the heat. While Wakka and Tidus were embroiled in their sudden-death volley-ball match, the girls were rooting through Sora's fridge for cold drinks and making an afternoon snack.

"This place is a mess!" Selphie exclaimed, stepping over an over-flowing trash bag that sat on the floor by the kitchen door. It was the third in the pile. "I guess Riku and Sora have been staying here a lot, huh?" she asked, flipping one of her brown pony-tails behind her shoulder.

"Neither one of them are home much." Kairi answered. "I think they've just been doing a lot of catching up." she nodded.

"I heard the counselor at school recommended they go to summer school so they could catch up on all the work they missed. Sora might not graduate if he doesn't get all his credit's in on time, but I don't know about Riku." she said, taking a pineapple slice from the fruit tray and munching on it.

"They're letting him take an equivalency test, since he missed all his senior exams last year." she replied. "It's all a major pain in the butt, but I think I've finally caught up on all the work _I've_ missed." Unlike Sora and Riku, Kairi had been home for a whole year, and most of the fascination with her disappearance had passed. She had been living a more-or-less normal life, up until a few months ago, when she had disappeared again for several weeks.

Every one thought that she had run away. Her father deduced it was the stress of the situation and missing her old friends. Kairi gave a mirthless laugh at how little their parents knew.

That "hurricane" that they had been victims of was no hurricane at all. It was a monster, created from Heartless. It swept her, Sora, and Riku to worlds unknown and unimaginable to the simple-minded folk of Destiny Island.

"Yeah but you get better grades than Sora! He's such a goof ball!" Selphie interjected, oblivious to Kairi's inner thoughts. She nodded. "Speaking of which..." she mused then, looking around. "Where did they go?"

Sora made his way past the winding tree next to the waterfall, and pushed aside the over-grown ferns that hid the cave opening. He grunted, bent nearly double, making his way into the entrance. Somehow he remembered his secret spot being...bigger. Luckily the cave opened wider a few feet in, and Sora could stand easily, the cave ceiling just inches from the top of his head.

Sure enough he found Riku sitting on the cool cave floor, piece of chalk in hand, looking at the old drawings on the cave wall.

"I thought I'd find you here." Sora smiled.

"Yep, you found me." Riku said emotionlessly. Sora eased himself down next to him. "Still in a bad mood, I see."

"No." Riku answered. "Just thinking about things."

Sora nodded, drawing his knees up to his chin, enjoying the coolness of the cave. "How are you and your mom doing?"he asked off-handedly.

"Fine, I guess." Riku shrugged. "We haven't been close for awhile. She says I feel like a stranger to her, and some times she just doesn't know what to say to me." He didn't seem upset by this fact, so much as just accepting of it. He had changed after all. He'd been through more than his mother could understand, or would ever understand. "She does her best, being a foster mom and all." he added. He glanced at Sora. "How are you and your folks? That seems to be a touchy subject with you these days." he said.

Sora sunk his chin down behind his arms to rest on his knee caps. "I just...feel detached." he answered. "Like...I don't belong there anymore."

Riku nodded and his eyes wandered back to the cave wall.

Sora followed the other boy's eyes to the chalk drawings on the opposite wall. His eyes seemed fixed on the drawing that Sora had made of Kairi and himself sharing a Papu fruit.

"That seems like a lifetime ago, now." he sighed. "You really liked her back then, huh?" he asked.

Sora blushed slightly. "Well...I did, but...do you wanna know a secret?" he asked.

Riku leaned his head against his. "What?" he asked.

"That's not a picture of Kairi. That's you." Sora answered. He sounded very embarrassed. Riku laughed so suddenly it made him snort. Which made Sora nearly pee himself with laughter.

"Your art sucks." Riku laughed, kissing him.

Sora smiled against his lips and punched him lightly, when a rumbling from outside caught his attention. Both boys looked apprehensively back down the tunnel.

"What do you suppose...?" Riku asked.

"It sounds like..." Sora didn't finish his sentence. The next moment the two of them were sprinting out the cave, nearly giving themselves fatal head injuries as they did so, and burst back out onto the island.

Kairi and the others were all at a stand-still, their eyes fixed on the sky in the distance.

"Sora!" Kairi gasped, running to him. She grabbed Sora's arm, returning her eyes to the sky. Riku had one hand on Kairi's shoulder, and the other on Sora's.

Something was streaking through the air, leaving a long white streak behind itself as it descended. At the moment it was still too far away to see what it really was.

Still Sora was squinting at it as hard as he could. "It can't be..." he murmured out loud. He felt a familiar tingling feeling in the fingers of his right hand. He looked down, and then concentrated.

Nothing happened.

Sora blinked, and tried again. He stretched out his hand, waiting for the keyblade to take form within it. But still, nothing. He looked back at the sky. The object was continuing to fall, but far out of site from here.

"A rocket, I guess?" Sora heard Selphie say from down the beach.

"Yeah, I guess." Shrugged Tidus.

"Sora?" Riku asked suddenly, bringing him back to his friends beside him. Sora shook his head. He had felt so sure...but certainly if it was...really...he would have been able to summon the keyblade?

"A rocket, I guess." He repeated Selphie, although his voice was somewhat resigned. Only Riku and Kairi knew why.

The others returned to their activities, but Sora continued to stand there, staring off into the distance where the ship had disappeared. Why did he feel so empty?

The afternoon came and went. The sun was setting, sooner than usual as autumn overcame summer's long days. Everyone was heading back to the mainland to head home and rest for school the next day.

Sora was utterly detached for the rest of the day, and when they had said their goodbyes to their friends for the evening and began their walk home, Riku finally confronted him about it.

"You're disappointed, huh?" he asked as they walked in step down the side walk.

Sora blinked up at the taller boy. "What?"

"You're disappointed that it wasn't Donald and Goofy." he answered. The sour expression on his face made Sora's insides squirm.

"I never said that." the brunette answered. "And even if it's true, what's the big deal?"

Riku shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, Sora." he grunted.

Sora grabbed his hand and yanked him to a stop. "Don't be such a girl." the younger boy scolded. "I can get that kind of answer of Kairi. I expect you to give me a straight answer."

"I'm worried about you, that's all." Riku replied, not trying to break Sora's grip on him.

Sora sighed loudly and then put his arms around Riku's chest and hugged him hard. Riku laid his head on top of Sora's and pulled him a close as he could. Neither spoke for a long time, and when they broke apart, they continued the rest of their walk in silence, hand in hand.

Sora's house was first, and Riku left him at the mail-box, kissing his cheek. Sora stood there until he disappeared around the corner. The sky was purple and orange with sunset, and jewel-bright lights shone from windows of dusk-darkened houses.

He took a few steps towards his house, and as he did the world gave out from under his feet.

Roxas was walking alone down the lamp-lit streets of Twilight Town. The blonde hair boy traveled aimless, looking neither left nor right. He simply followed the curve of the brick pavement beneath his shoes until he found himself downtown, where the trolley was making it's rounds, dropping off and picking up busy shoppers. Roxas paused to watch it pass by. As it did, he looked at the faces in the window, and to his surprise found one looking back at him.

A young man with extreme spikes of ruby-red hair smiled at him through one of the windows and waved quickly. Roxas's mouth fell open. "Axel...?"

The young man in the trolley continued to look back at him even as the bus rounded the corner. Roxas shook off his shock and started to sprint after him. "Axel! AXEL!" he screamed.

Much to his surprise, he was able to catch up to the trolley and was running beside it, looking frantically up at the man in the window. "STOP! STOP THE TROLLEY! PLEASE!" Roxas screamed, beating his fist along side the moving vehicle.

Axel would only look down at him, still smiling, but looking sadly at him. He pressed his hand against the glass. Roxas slammed his fist against the side of the trolley again. "STOP! STOP!" he yelled, but to no avail.

Suddenly his foot collided with a jagged piece of pavement and down he went on both hands and knees. He looked frantically up, his skin stinging painfully from the pavement. But the trolley was already passing out of sight and Axel was gone.

"Wait...wait for me..." he panting weakly. His arms began to shake as he started to cry, hot tears pouring down his face. "Wait for me!"

"Sora?!" a man's voice called anxiously.

Sora's head snapped up and he realized he was on his hands and knees on the pavement, his face wet with tears. In front of him, his dad was kneeling, looking very worried indeed. "Sora, are you alright?"

Sora blinked several times, feeling very disoriented. "Yeah, I..." he said, sitting back on his knees, which ached suddenly.

"Tripped, I saw." His father finished, taking stock of Sora's scrapped hands and knees. "You can be so clumsy sometimes." he added, adjusting the glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Stings, doesn't it?" he added, reaching out a hand to brush a the tears on Sora's cheeks.

Sora shook his head, avoiding his father's touch and stood up. "No, not really."

Yoshi smiled a little and stood up as well. "Could have fooled me." he said with some mirth to his voice. He thought his son was just trying to save face. Together they headed into the house. Lyn, Sora's mother was sitting in the living room and the day's paper in her lap.

"Everything all right dear?" she asked without looking up.

"Yeah, just alittle tumble." Yoshi answered. "Nothing serious."

"That's good." she replied. This time she glanced over at her son. "Did you have a nice time, honey?"

"Fine, mom." Sora answered, depositing his shoes at the door and heading immediately towards his room.

"Don't you want any dinner?" Lyn called, but the only answer she got was Sora's door closing softly behind him.

Yoshi gave his wife and heavy look and sighed and then sat down beside her.

Sora fell on his bed, pulling his cell phone out of his back pocket, scrolling immediately towards Riku's name. But then he paused. Riku was already worried about him, wouldn't telling him about this make it worse? He laid the phone on his night stand and just laid in his bed, looking out the window. He had a spectacular view of the beach and the island beyond from there. It was already dark outside, and the lights of the town around them were sparkling in the surf. Sora felt exhausted as he watched the waves. He closed his eyes, listening to the soft murmur of his parent's voices from the beyond the door and the sound of waves crashing on the shore...


	2. Quandaries

Chapter 2: Quandaries

Riku kept walking around the corner until Sora was out of sight. But instead of heading home as planned, he turned the next corner and doubled back the way he came. The streets were now dark and lamp-lit, and Riku found himself walking between dark and light patches. It reminded him of himself. Someone who had slipped so easily between darkness and light.

He kept walking until he reached the neighborhood park, where stopped, taking a seat on an empty bench. Riku pulled out his cell phone and dialed quickly.

"Mom?...Hi. No, I'm fine. I'm gonna stay with Wakka tonight. No, I'm fine. Yes. Okay. Love you too."

He closed the phone and tucked it away inside his pocket again. He had no intention of staying the night at Wakka's place. Truth be told, he wasn't really all that fond of the guy. He just didn't want to go home.

He sighed heavily putting a hand over his face and leaning his head back to rest on the back of the bench. He sat there slumped, eyes closed. He who knew it was going to be this hard to readjust to a normal life? Only Sora seemed to echo his feelings of awkwardness. No one had any idea how uncomfortable and strange he felt, acting as if nothing had happened that he'd been lost on some non-existent spit of land in the aftermath of a hurricane.

He tried to imagine explaining to his foster mother that he'd been possessed by a man named Ansem, that he had traveled across lands never heard of or fathomed, and had nearly died at the hands of a Nobody named Xemnas.

Surely after that he'd be locked up tightly in a room with a nice regiment of pills to take for the rest of his natural life. But at least he wouldn't have to worry about college entrance exams.

While all this was running through Riku's head, he did not notice the sound of rustling bushes behind him. Nor the faint but distinct sound of heavy breathing. It was not until a passing car's headlights drifted across him that he looked up at all. When he did, he felt the distinct uncomfortable feeling of eyes watching him.

Riku turned around, but saw nothing. Only empty swings swaying lonely in the breeze and the shadows of abandoned playground equipment. But the feeling of being watched did not go away. Riku felt an uncomfortable pricking sensation on the back of his neck. Hairs standing on end.

He stood up, staring into the dark. Something was there, and it was something that wanted him to know it was there, even though it would not show itself.

Riku took a few slow steps away from the bench, making his way first for swings. His fists were clenched inside his pockets of his jeans. He paused and waited.

Still nothing moved. Riku strained to hear even the smallest sound. He crouched towards the ground then, reaching to pic up a sizeable branch that was on the ground next to him.

As he did, he felt a shadow fall across his back. Riku took the branch in both hands and swung it backwards as hard as he could. There was a loud yelp and the satisfying thunk of it hitting something large and fleshy.

Someone yelled and tumbled to the ground.

Riku stood there, still wielding the branch, looking down at his victim. Though he could not see clearly, he could make out what looked like a rather tall boy, with dark black hair crouching on the ground rubbing his face.

"Garwsh! What'dya do that for!?" the boy whimpered from between his hands.

Riku blinked, eyes wide. He recognized that strange accent. He dropped the branch and crouched down to get a better look at the boy in front of him. "Goofy?" he asked, his voice soft with shock.


	3. The Long Overdue Arrival

Chapter 3: The Long-Over Due Arrival

The boy dropped one of his hands, revealing a pain reddened face and big watery black eyes. It was an unmistakably human face, but the eyes gave him away. "Y-yeah." he sniffed.

"But you're..." Riku gasped, blinking at the black-haired boy in front of him. "You're human!"

Goofy blinked away the last of his tears and began dusting himself off. Riku plainly recognized the green turtle neck and yellow vest he wore. "Well, when in Rome..." he chuckled.

Riku extended a hand and Goofy took it, getting to his feet. He was a good four inches taller than Riku, even in human form. "You sure are jumpy!" he exclaimed.

"You startled me. Why didn't you just–?" Riku tried to explain, watching as he picked up his fallen hat from the ground.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Goofy apologized. "I was just afraid someone else might see me. I look so...strange!" he gasped, clearly feeling awkward in his new skin.

"Donald's magic did this?" Riku asked, looking him over appreciatively.

"Merlin's." Goofy corrected. "It was only 'posed to last until we found Sora, but Donald's gone and lost the reversal spell." He bemoaned.

"Sora?" Riku said then, catching Goofy's eye. Goofy blinked. "Well...yeah." he shrugged, as though this should have been obvious. "But looks like found you instead!" he laughed.

"Wait...where's Donald?" Riku asked looking around quickly.

Sora awoke from a dreamless sleep feeling heavy and sick, as he sometimes did when he napped. A chilly breeze as blowing over him from the open window next to his bed made his shiver as he sat up. He reached to close it, and as he did, another hand closed over his.

Sora paused and stared. He found another face of a pale boy with short feathery-white hair staring back at him from the other side of the window.

Sora's opened his mouth wide to scream, and just as the sound was starting to leave his mouth, the white-haired boy dove at him, pressing his hands over the brunette's mouth. They tumbled backwards off the bed and onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Sora it's me! Donald!" the white-haired boy hissed as he laid on top of Sora. Sora's blue eyes widened to almost unnatural size as he tried to pry the smaller boy off him. Were it not for the boy's strange distorted voice and familiar blue eyes, he would not have believed him.

"Donald?" Sora coughed, finally pulling the smaller hands off his mouth. Donald smiled and sat back. "That's right." he sighed.

"So it WAS your gummi ship I saw in the sky!" he gasped.

They heard a noise coming from outside the door then and both looked up in alarm. "Sora?" Lyn's voice came faintly.

Donald pulled a his short staff, purple and adorned with a wizard's cap at the top, from his belt and waved it across himself quickly. "Disappear!" he whispered. He vanished a moment later, leaving Sora alone in the room.

Lyn opened the door and peered down at her son on the floor. "Honey...?"

"I'm fine mom!" Sora said quickly, smiling nervously. "I just...uh...fell out of the bed." he shrugged.

His mother gave a sigh of long suffering and smiled at him. "Don't forget to close your window before you go to bed, alright?" she said. She blew him a quick kiss and then closed the door again. "Fell out of bed again..." she heard him telling his father as she descended down the hall.

He sat there for a long moment, listing hard, making sure she was really gone. A moment later, Donald materialized at his side. "That was close." he said.

Sora poked him hard then, making him squeak a little. "Ack!" The white-haired boy glared at the brunette next to him. "What are you doing!?" he squawked.

"You're human!" Sora giggled, obviously quite amused. Donald frowned deeply, straightening his blue jacket. "We're trying to blend in." he muttered, obviously irritated.

"It's a really good spell! You look convincing." he added, helping Donald up. The human Donald was still very short and only came to Sora's shoulder. Sora found this even more comical. "You couldn't have made yourself taller?" he chuckled.

Donald shook a finger at him. "You shut up!" he hissed. "Besides..." he added, this time looking a bit shame-faced. "It's not my spell. It's Merlin's."

"No wonder." Sora nodded. Donald cast him a hurt look, and Sora quickly threw up his hands. "I only mean that you've never attempted this level of transformation before, that's all!"

Donald folded his arms across his chest and gave the room a quick once over. "So this is where you live, eh?" he mused. "I thought it would be more impressive." he added, smirking a bit.

"You're hilarious." Sora grunted. "Speaking of which...where's Goofy?" he asked.

Donald looked irritated and a bit worried at this question. "We split up, looking for you. I have no idea where he's gone." he sighed, tapping his foot on the floor of Sora's room. He looked over and realized that Sora was no longer standing beside him, but currently rummaging through a dressing and pulling his shirt over his head.

Donald blushed a bit, putting a hand along side his face. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"You don't expect me to go out looking for him in my swim-trunks do you?" Sora asked, obviously oblivious to Donald's discomfort. A moment later he had pulled his black hoodie over his head and pulled on his sneakers.

Donald glanced over at him, now looking just the way he had the last time they had seen each other on the beach of Destiny Island two years ago. He smiled.

They climbed out Sora's open window and onto the soft grass below. Then, keeping close to the ground, they made their way past the kitchen window, across the front lawn, and onto the street beyond.

"You know..." Donald said after a few moments of running. "You haven't asked why we're here." he said.

Sora slowed a bit. He hadn't. He looked over at Donald and laughed aloud. "No! I guess I didn't." he chuckled.

Donald cocked a white eyebrow at him. "Somehow I don't remember you being so...strange. Are you sure you didn't hit your head when we fell?"

Sora came to a stop beside the white-haired magician and shook his head. "It's just...I've been having these dreams. And I guess I just assumed...I'd be seeing you again." he shrugged.

"Dreams?" Donald asked.

Sora opened his mouth to further explain himself when someone gave a shout. Both boys looked up to see that they were being approached by another pair of young men. Sora recognized the one of the left as Riku. The boy next to him, who was much taller with shaggy black hair and undersized hat waved to them.

"There you are!" Donald said exasperated, pointing at Goofy.

Goofy giggled as they approached and Riku looked at Sora expectantly. "Guess you already know." he said as they came to stand in front of them.

Sora grinned, surveying Goofy's new appearance as Riku glanced over Donald. "Now would anyone care to tell me what the surprise visit is for?" Riku asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Donald pulled from inside the pocket of his jacket a scroll and held it out for Sora to take. "Official business." he answered, handing it to him. The scroll bore King Mickey's seal, ears and all. Sora broke it gently and unraveled the parchment as Riku and the others watched.

"This...is a summons. From the King!" Sora said after a moment, looking at his old friends. "You mean...he wants to see me? Now?"

"Right away. He sent us to bring you to the castle." Goofy answered.

"Did he say what for?" Riku asked, looking carefully at Sora.

Donald shook his head. "We don't know anything about it." he answered. Riku smirked a bit. "So the King doesn't even trust his own wizard and captain of the guard enough to tell them why he wants the Keybearer?" he asked.

Donald and Goofy both flushed a bit. "I'm sure he had good reason." Donald replied, a bit more harshly than he meant.

Sora put a hand on Donald's shoulder to calm him and looked meaningfully at Riku. "I'm sure it's important. We'd better go right away."

"We?" Donald asked, raising his eyebrow again.

"Riku's coming too." Sora replied. Donald and Goofy exchanged an uncertain look. "The King only sent for you, Sora. I don't know if..."

"Riku and the King are friends too," Sora reminded them. "I'm sure he won't mind." Sora didn't look like he was willing to take no for an answer on this issue, and so Donald and Goofy realized it would be useless and wasteful to continue to argue about it.

"Fine, but we need to hurry." Donald nodded. For some reason, he lowered his voice as he said this, looking around carefully. His hand went uneasily to his wand, and they saw Goofy tense as well.

Sora felt that same strange tingling in the fingers of right hand. He looked down and smiled. A second later, a four foot long key appeared in his hand. The Keyblade.

The weight of it was familiar and comforting to him. But it's appearance meant that there was trouble. He looked over and found that not only had Goofy summoned his shield, but that Riku was holding his own bat-winged blade.

The two boys looked up at each other as strangeness of deja vu passed over them.

"Heartless?" Sora asked softly turning around and looking across the empty streets and in between darkened houses.

"Not sure." Donald answered.

"Something's there though." Riku answered, standing close to Sora. "I had this same feeling in the park." He looked back at Goofy. "But I thought that was you."

"I guess we aren't alone." Goofy answered, clutching his shield a bit tighter and raising it towards his chest.

Sora found himself falling into a familiar defensive position, taking to hilt of his weapon in both hands, ready to swing. He continued staring into the shadows around them, and suddenly had the distinct feeling they were staring right back at him.

A second later a lonely Dusks slithered it's way from the darkness, darting towards the party.

"A Nobody!" Goofy gasped, raising his shield. He needn't have. Sora leapt at it and struck it down before the others even had time to react. It faded with a small cloud of silver smoke and the keybearer stood there, staring back at them.

"Was...that all?" he asked. "Just one?"

"A scout." Donald answered. "Probably followed us here." He put his wand away as Goofy's shield disappeared. "We'd better get to the Gummi ship and get out of here before more find their way."

Sora nodded, and then looked to Riku to see what the older boy would say. As the bat-wing blade disappeared from his hand, Riku stepped forward, stretching it towards Sora.

"We'll go together this time." he said.

Sora smiled and took his hand in his. Together they followed Donald and Goofy down the empty street.


	4. Passage Through Nightmare

Chapter 4: Passage through Nightmare

Sora walked around the Gummi ship as a feeling of nostalgia washed over him like a wave. He had discovered so many things in this quirky little vessel, traveled across the stars with it. He felt almost giddy looking around, like he was a little boy again.

Even Riku's sullen and serious expression faded a little as he looked around him. It seemed nearly impossible how something so small and unimpressive on the outside could look so large and fantastic on the inside.

"So this is how you got to all those worlds, huh?" Riku asked softly.

"Yep!" Goofy said as he moseyed past him on his way up to the cockpit. "Not a bad way of getting around, huh?"

Riku chuckled lightly, "No, I guess not." he smiled.

"Hey watch where you're stepping!" a tiny voice shouted suddenly. Riku looked left and right but saw no one. "Huh? Who said—" he looked down, and too his surprise found two chipmunk leering up at him. "–that. Great. Rodents." Riku mused.

"We are not rodents!" they squeaked.

"Be nice, Riku." Sora insisted, coming up to him. He bent and scooped the two small woodland animals in the palms of his hands. "They're our mechanics."

Riku's right eye had a distinct twitch. "Are you serious?" he asked.

"You bet he is!" the chipmunk with the bulbous red nose insisted, jumping up and down.

"Easy guys, easy!" Sora assured them. "He's a good guy, honest."

"Well alright, if you say so, Sora." the one with the black nose answered. "I'm Chip!"

"And I'm Dale!" The red nosed chipmunk exclaimed, throwing his arm around his brother.

"Ah. Nice to meet you...I think." Riku nodded. They bounced out of Sora's hand and scattered about the ship, totting tiny tool-boxes in their paws.

"Well...what do you think?" Sora asked, putting his arm around Riku's waist.

"I guess I'm just trying to take it all in." Riku answered. "I feel like there's a so much of you I don't even know about."

Sora gave a him a soft smile and kissed his cheek. "Not as much as you think." he answered.

Riku smiled and put his arms around him, kissing him hard. It was then the brunette felt a tickle at his ear. "Oh my! Pardon the interruption!" a tiny voice said.

Sora's eyes snapped open and he glanced to his shoulder, to find a green cricket sporting a top-hat and suit looking up at him with an air of embarrassment.

"Jiminy!" Sora gasped, still holding onto Riku.

"Is that a bug?" the silver-haired boy blinked. His lover was talking to a very well articulated insect, they were on a ship piloted by two men who were really a duck and a dog and engineered by chipmunks. It seemed like a bizarre dream.

"Good to see you again, Sora! And you too Riku!" Jiminy nodded, tipping his hat. "You two seem to be getting along very well indeed!"

"I'm sorry...have we met before?" Riku asked, blinking at the cricket.

"Oh my, forgive me! You probably don't remember me, we met very briefly when you and Sora were reunited." Jiminy explains.

"Oh." Riku nodded.

"You two had better get up here and take a seat, the ride's gonna get a little bumpy!" Goofy called.

They scrambled up the ladder that lead to the upper part of the ship containing the cockpit. It seemed they had already covered quite a bit of distance since their take-off. Sora and Riku strapped themselves into their seats, watching eagerly out the window as the velvety blackness of space passed them by.

"Any trouble on the way here?" Sora asked, looking to Goofy.

"Well...now that you mention it..." Goofy began.

Donald glared at him. "He didn't mention _anything_." he hissed. He glanced backwards at Sora. "Why don't you two try to get some sleep? It's a long trip ahead."

Sora looked sternly at the white-haired blue-clad wizard. "No secrets Donald." he said firmly. Donald only stared stubbornly back at him, but Goofy squirmed under Sora's piercing gaze.

"You see, there's been these strange dark patches between the paths to the worlds." He blurted out.

"Goofy!" Donald almost barked. "Don't you dare..."

"He should know, Donald!" Goofy gasped, trying to appeal to Donald's reasonable side.

But it was not Donald, or even Sora that answered. It was Riku. "What do you mean dark patches?" he asked. He leaned forward in his seat, anticipating an answer.

Donald was looking severely at Goofy and glancing quizzically at Riku almost at the same time. Goofy gave the silver-haired young man his full attention at this point, as did Sora. "Do you know something about it?" he asked.

"It sounds familiar, is all." Riku answered. "Like how the Nobody used to open portals."

Donald shook his head. "It's not the same thing, we've already looked into that." he answered quickly. "It's like a living tunnel of blackness. If you get stuck in it, there's no telling where you'll come out, or if you'll come out at all." he added.

Sora and Riku exchanged glances, but Riku seemed just as lost as him at this point.

"People have...disappeared going through these?" Sora asked.

"Far as we can gather." Goofy shrugged.

"Sounds like Heartless mischief." Sora nodded, reclining in his seat. "Is that what the King wants to see me about?" he added.

"It's possible." Donald said.

"Probable." Goofy nodded.

Sora nodded and contented himself with staring out the window.

The trip from Destiny Island to Disney Castle was longer than Sora remembered. At one point, he remembered explaining to Riku how Goofy had gotten himself stuck in one of the hedges in the gardens surrounding the castle, and the next he found himself blinking awake, feeling groggy and stiff. He felt extremely warm, almost to the point of discomfort, and found that the source was the body-heat coming from what he had been resting on. Riku.

The older boy was also asleep, his head resting on Sora's, one arm hung limping around his waist. Sora shifted gently so not to wake him and unbuckled himself. His left arm was suffering from that irritating pins-and-needled phase, and when he stood up he felt like he might immediately fall back down.

In front of him, Goofy was snoring loudly, his large feet propped up in front of him on the panel, and Donald was also snoozing. The ship was on autopilot. Sora peered into the star-speckled blackness, and could make out what appeared like a world coming into view.

He started to wake Donald, when he realized he had an urgent need to use the restroom. He slunk down the ladder and into the lower deck of the ship, to find at least some of the ship's crew was still hard at work.

Chip and Dale scurried about, cleaning this, adjusting that, dusting here and there and so on. Sora apologized for nearly stepping on Dale as he staggered his way towards the restroom. He couldn't understand why he felt so groggy, as if he'd been sleeping for ages.

After thoroughly relieving himself–and glad of it–he splashed cold water on his face and headed back out into the ship. Just as he was about to reach the ladder, the ship jerked violently to the right, and threw the boy from his feet.

Sora slammed against the wall, hard enough to make him yell. Feeling the air knocked out of him, he laid there for a moment stunned as the ship rocked hard to the left, and then again to the right. Donald was squawking from the cockpit, and he could here Riku yelling above the noise.

"Hey watch it out there, Sora!" Jiminy yelled suddenly from his place inside Sora's pocket. "You almost squashed me!"

"Jiminy, I told you that's not a good—" The boy started to scold the cricket, but had no time when was once again thrown violently across the ship. This time Sora managed grab one of the ladder rungs before he slammed into something else.

"What's going on?!" he shouted up into the cockpit.

"We seem to be experiencing some turbulence!" Goofy called back. He appeared at the hatch and helped pull Sora up into the cockpit. Riku was standing behind Goofy, eyes wide.

The space around them had changed. No longer were they passing through the nothingness of space, the blackness around them seemed to be a living thing. It moved and churned, and hurled the ship back and forth violently within itself.

"Is this what you were talking about?" Sora gasped, looking at the others.

"Yep!" Goofy gasped, grasping onto his seat as the cockpit shook and rattled.

"There's no choice but to ride it out, if we try to break out of it before we reach the other side, it could dump us anywhere." Donald yelled, struggling with the controls.

"Gwarsh!" Goofy gasped.

"Everybody brace yourselves!" Sora cried. He leaned over Donald, helping him take control of the ship. Chip and Dale scrambled up Goofy's arms and legs and took shelter in his cap, while Riku braced himself against the seat.

The ship plummeted through the living blackness, and Sora gritted his teeth as he fought against the unsteadiness of the ship and the G-force pulling on him.

"We're not going to make it!" Donald yelped.

"Yes were are, I see the end of the portal!" Riku gasped. But the darkness wasn't finished with them yet. With one last great churn, it sent to ship into a wild tailspin. Riku went flying across the cockpit, as did Donald.

"RIKU!" Sora cried, letting go of the controls.

"SORA NO!" Goofy yelped, but it was too late.

With a great wrenching lurch the ship rolled onto it's side as it was being sucked down through the black tunnel away from the small glimpse of light at the other end. It gained speed as it hurtled through the unknown and threatened to tear itself apart.

The ship's wheel was spinning so fast Sora did not dare try to grab it. Instead he summoned the Keyblade once more, and jammed it into the spokes between the wheel.

The ship twisted to the left as a result, and Sora yelled for Goofy to take control. The young man obeyed at once, and just in time. As abruptly as it had come upon them, the portal spit them out, and almost directly into the atmosphere of some other world.

Space disappeared, replaced by bright blue sky, and the ground coming up all too quickly to greet them. Somehow, Goofy managed to even them out, but the crash was inevitable.

They rumbled through rocky grey canyon walls and fell to the ground, sliding across the rock and stone as the ship ground itself to a halt.

Goofy lifted his head slowly from the steering wheel, pushing his hat out of his eyes. From it, Chip and Dale moaned woozily. "Gwarsh, is everyone okay?" he asked, looking around.

Donald moaned and pulled himself shakily to him feet with the help of the seat. He started to stand then lurched forward. Goofy caught the shorter boy before he hit the floor again and propped him up against him.

"Thanks Goofy..." Donald said holding his stomach, sweat visible on his forehead. Goofy smiled and patted the shorter boy on the back.

Sora was bent over Riku, holding the taller boy in his arms.

"Riku! Riku!" he gasped.

Riku groaned painfully and put a hand to his head, sitting up slowly. "I'm okay..." he mumbled. Sora grinned and held him tightly.

"Everyone in one piece?" Jiminy asked, poking out of Sora's hood.

"Everyone except the ship." Sora replied, helping Riku to his feet. Slowly they made their way outside, Chip and Dale bemoaning every damage they saw.

Donald touched the door hatch to open it, only to have it fall open on it's own and land with a clunk on the ground below.

They peered out at their surroundings, taking in the steep canyon walls that surrounded them on both sides.

"Close call..." Goofy nodded, stepping out of the ship, helping Donald along the way.

"No kidding." Donald mumbled. He glanced back at Sora and Riku as the other two boys climbed out of the ship as well.

"This place...looks familiar." Sora mused. He was certain this was a world they had been to before, which could only mean good things.

"Yeah, it does." Goofy nodded.

"I know where we are." Riku said from behind him. He pointed into the distance at the canyon wall. "See the castle spires?"

Sora squinted into the distance, but was able to make them out after a moment or two. "Yeah! I see it!" he grinned. "We're in Hallow Bastion!"

"Well it's a long way from Disney Castle." Donald muttered, adjusting his clothing and taking further stock of the ship. "And with a damaged ship it doesn't look like we'll be making it anytime soon."

As he said this he rubbed the side of his head, which had begun to itch for some reason. Goofy gasped then. "Donald! You're bleeding!"

Donald turned to look at his now human companion and saw that his face was white and his eyes wide. "Goofy what are you–?" he started, the lowered his hand. His fingers were red and sticky.

"Okay, okay, don't move." Riku said stepping along side the much shorter boy's head, using his other hand to take Donald's, which was now shaking. "It's just a scratch, Donald, you're okay."

Donald didn't say anything until he heard a distinct ripping sound and felt Sora tugging on his pant leg. "Hey!" he gasped as Sora tore a sizeable piece of fabric from the cuff.

"Well we need something to stop the bleeding." Sora answered, wrapping the blue fabric around Donald's head in place of Riku's hand. "That should do it."

Donald frowned at him and pulled out his wand, tapping it to his pant leg. "Mend." A moment later his pant leg was restored to it's previous condition.

"Why couldn't you just do that you're head?" Sora asked, hands on his hip. Donald frowned. "It doesn't work on _people_. Only potions do that." he replied. He took a step forward and then swayed on his feet.

Again Goofy caught him before he fell but instead of simply righting him, he scooped him up.

"Put me down!" Donald squawked.

"It'll be easier this way, I think." Goofy winked.

Riku and Sora giggled, then turned to look in the distance. "Well, if we're in Hallow Bastion then I think I know where we can patch up Donald _and_ the Gummi ship in one stop."


	5. Radiant Garden and the Reunion

Chapter 5: Radiant Garden and The Reunion of Old Friends

They traveled down one of the cavernous trails that lead through the mountains to Bastion Castle. When Sora had seen it last, it had been a dangerous place, often teaming with Heartless. But now, a road had been built, though it seemed unfinished as of yet.

Behind them, Sora could see the village, and people moving along the upper ridges of the chasm going about their daily lives. They were only a few miles from the Bailey, he guessed. In the opposite direction, Sora could see Bastion Castle looming high above.

It had been an ominous figure in the past, but now it was beginning to live up to it's former glory. Leon and the restoration committee had indeed worked wonders.

"Gwarsh, the place is looking pretty spiffy!" Goofy nodded glancing around as Donald dozed in his arms.

"Yeah, it does." Sora nodded, following. "This place used to be a real dump!"

"Your world would be too if it had been as ravaged by Heartless as this place was." Riku said then. He turned in the distance to look at the castle. "You forget I spent a lot of time here as Maleficent's prisoner." he added.

He squinted into the distance then. He was no longer looking at the castle, but along on of the mountain ridges that shaped the path around them. He thought he could see three figures standing there, watching them.

But when he blinked again, they were gone.

"Riku?" Sora asked, slipping his hand into his. "What is it?"

Riku rubbed his eyes. "Nothing. Just the light, I guess." he shrugged. Sora tugged him along beside him as they made their way up the unfinished road towards the Bailey and the town itself.

When they arrived, they found a bustling of activity. Apparently this world was thriving now that the Heartless and the Nobody no longer lurked in its shadows, preying on the people and their unsuspecting hearts.

Sora made his way down the stone steps as though he'd spent every day of his life walking them. He was filled with memories of his time here with Leon and the others. This place felt like a second home to him, and contained a second family as well.

"Sora wait up!" Goofy panted as he tried to keep up with the spikey-haired boy's vigorous pace.

"Come on guys, you're out of shape!" Sora called back. "Hop to!"

"You aren't carrying an extra ninety-five pounds." Goofy muttered.

"I heard that." Donald grumbled, looking up at the black-haired young man.

The Bailey, now littered with house and cozy little side-streets filled with laughing children, gave way to the market place, and the true hustle and bustle of Radiant Garden.

"Wow, I don't remember this many people here!" Goofy gasped, looking around at all the passers-by.

"I guess life has been good to the people lately." Riku nodded.

"Hey look, there's Cid's workshop!" Sora called suddenly. He took off at a run towards the run-down looking shop off to the far right corner of the street with the orange sign that read: "Cid's Place" in green letters.

"We'd better go after him, before he hurts himself." Riku moaned, following after his overly excitable boyfriend.

"Or someone else." Donald added.

Sora threw open the door to Cid's shop without so much as a knock. To his surprise, he found it empty. The shopkeeper himself was no where in sight.

"Cid? Cid are you here?" he called, stepping into the shop. There was still no reply, but Sora heard a low whistle coming from the back room behind the counter. The keybearer made his way around the counter, to the little door on the right, which lead into the part of the house where Cid lived.

Peeking inside, he found that the whistling noise was coming from a copper tea kettle on the stove. Cid was asleep in the chair at the table, snoring loudly.

Sora suppressed a giggle and approached the sleeping mechanic quietly. He gave him a light tap on the shoulder, which he thought would wake him gently. Instead Cid woke with a loud snort and yell and went tumbling backwards in his chair, smacking his head on the tile floor.

"Cid! Are you okay!?" Sora gasped, bending over here.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YA THINKIN, BOY!?" Cid screamed, grabbing Sora by the collar of his jacket and shaking him.

"I'm sorry Cid, I didn't think—" he began. Some how getting screamed at by Cid, with his heavy southern-army- hick accent, was both terrifying and hilarious at the same time.

"THAT'S RIGHT! YA DIDN'T THINK! I COULDA KILLED YA! TAKEN YER DAMN SPIKEY HEAD CLEAN OFF YER PUNY LITTLE SHOULDERS!"

Sora winced as spit hit his cheek, but said nothing, just nodded in understanding, hoping that Cid would get it all out of his system quickly.

"Uh...you're tea-pot's boiling." Sora said finally, pointing nervously to the stove.

Cid blinked and glanced up at the whistling pot. "Well damn. It sure is." he nodded, much calmer this time. He sat up with a grunt and went over to the stove, slipping on an oven mitt to remove the hot kettle.

"So, what brings the keybearer to Radiant Garden these days? And where's your gaggle of ridiculous friends?" he asked.

"Right here!" Donald muttered from the other side of the shop.

Cid looked up, seeing through the little window that opened up into the shop that Donald, Goofy, and Riku where all standing there, staring at him. Cid didn't seem to have any trouble recognizing Donald and Goofy even in their new forms.

"Ah, there they are. And ya even got a new addition." he said, nodding to Riku. "Well come on in, fellas, don't be strangers." he muttered, finding a tea cup and filling it with the boiling brew. "Ya'll like tea, don't ya?"

Sora knew this was more of a statement than a question, as Cid would shove it down your throat whether you cared for it or not. He was just like that.

He looked Riku up and down as he sat a cup down in front of him. "I like this one, got some meat on his bones. Not like you, spikey-head." he said, glancing at Sora.

"Thanks Cid." Sora grumbled.

"You got a name, son?" he asked, bending a little closer to Riku.

"Uh...Riku, sir." the silver-haired boy answer.

"Don't stutter when you talk boy, it makes you sound stupid." Cid interjected. Riku stared at Sora. The more of his friends he met, the more he was convinced the boy was insane.

"Thank you, sir." he grumbled, taking a sip of the tea.

Cid grunted again and looked back to Sora as he continued to serve his guests. "I suppose you're here to have your Gummi ship repaired. What have you done to the damn thing now, driven it into a meteor? Cause I ain't running a charity here..."

"Well now that you mention it..." Sora said, becoming very interested in his teacup, "we did have a little accident on the way here."

Cid gave a snort and took a surprisingly dignified sip of his tea. "Never fails. This is why children shouldn't be able to–."

"I am NOT a child." Sora said with surprising force. Cid grunted at this, but did not further press the issue. Instead he looked at Donald and Goofy. "What the hell happened to you two?"

"Merlin." Donald grumbled.

"It's uh...a disguise."

"Not a very good one." Cid said over the lip of his tea-cup. "You stand out more as humans than animals."

"So, Cid," Sora said, desperate for a change of conversation before Donald's famous temper began to flare. "Have you seen Leon?"

"Leon?" Cid answered. "He's been laid up recently. Had a bad accident at the Bailey a few days ago, still don't know what happened."

"Is he alright?" Sora asked, sounding very concerned. He hated to think that one of his friends could be badly injured and he knew nothing about it.

"Don't yer ears work boy, I just told ya he's been laid up. Not been like himself for days, real quiet now, lurks around like a cat in a dark alley."

"That sounds normal." Donald answered snidely.

"Well it ain't whistling dixey, short-stack." Cid grumped at him as he sat down to enjoy his own cup of tea.

"Have you seen Merlin lately, Cid?" Goofy asked suddenly to everyone surprise. Donald beamed.

Cid gulped his tea and scratched the blonde stubble on his chin. He was actually a handsome man, Sora thought as he watched him, if he'd shave...or change his shirt...or not be so damn rude.

"That old codger...he's been holed up in his house with his magic experiments. Been spending a lot of time with Cloud and Aerith."

Sora's eyes brightened a bit. "Cloud's here too?" he asked.

"'Course he's here! Where else would that good for nothing be? He stays attached to Aerith's hip, that is when he's not off whining about Sephiroth or some shit."

"Sephiroth?" Riku asked looking up. "Who's Sephiroth?" He was not sure why, but the name seemed strangely familiar to him, although he was certain he had never heard it before.

"Someone you NEVER want to fight." Sora said, his eyes widening for emphasis as he sipped his tea. "Beat the crap out of me more times than I can remember."

"That's for sure!" Goofy laughed. "He'd wipe the floor with you every time you went into the arena!"

"Thanks, Goofy." Sora sneered.

"He's bad mojo, that's what he is. And the less you know about that silver-haired bastard, the better." Cid declared. He stood up then, "Well since you're here, I suppose I should look over the ship anyway. Knowing you boys, you're going to need fuel, a few new gummi blocks to get ya where you're going with some speed, and an excuse to putz around town for a few hours till Merlin gets back from where ever he's flitted off to."

"Gwarsh Cid, how'd ya know?" Goofy asked.

"I've been in the business too long, that's how I know." He grumbled. He stood up then, putting his empty cup in the kitchen sink. "Well, what're ya waiting for? Get! I can't work with ya in my way!" he barked.

Donald and Goofy scrambled to get out of the way, and Riku and Sora followed suit. As they waited for Cid to get his tools and head on out to the Gummi ship, Sora spotted a picture on the wall above the counter.

The photograph seemed to have seen better days, but it was obviously precious to Cid for him to hang in out for all to see. Sora recognized Cloud in the picture, as well as Aerith and Yuffie. The dark-haired woman he remembered was Tifa, whom he had met very briefly a year ago. There was a tall dark-skinned man in the background, holding a little girl. There was also a very ridiculous looking black and white cat, wearing a crown. Next to him was an even bigger cat–or rather a beast–with dark red fur and feathers in his mane. The roman numeral thirteen was marked into his hind leg.

And then of course, there was Cid. He looked a bit younger in this picture, maybe a little happier too. He was standing next to a strange looking man with long dark hair, dressed in red. His right arm resembled a golden claw.

"Cid, who's this?" he asked as the blonde-haired man came back from his work-shop.

"Hmmm?" Cid grunted, looking to the picture on the wall.

"That man, dressed in red." Sora asked again, pointing to him. Cid's face fell a little, and to Sora's surprise he saw some of the light go out of his eyes. "His name is Vincent." he said, with only some of his usual gruffness.

"He's a friend of yours?" the brunette asked.

Cid grunted.

"Well...where is he now?" the wondered aloud.

Cid shrugged, gathering his tool box. "Lost." was all he would say.

Aerith was tending to the flower boxes outside her shop, just as she did everyday. The pretty brunette pushed her long braid over her shoulder to keep it out of her way as she bent to water the tulips. As she did, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

A young man, about five eight, with a head of unruly, spiked brown hair. He was dressed in baggy black shorts and a black, blue and red hooded jacket was making his way down the street, hand in hand with a taller young man.

Aerith nearly dropped her watering can at the sight of the young man and her face broke into a wide smile. "Sora!" she called.

The smaller boy looked up, eyes darting past the crowd to the sound of the noise. He almost at once spotted the woman with the long brown hair and the pink sun-dress.

"Aerith!" Sora called back, waving. He made his way quickly passed the passing people and threw himself into her open arms. Sora laughed as she engulfed him and he pressed his nose against the bare skin of her shoulder. She always smelled like a garden.

Aerith hugged the boy hard and kissed his forehead, running her fingers through those unruly locks of his. "Sora, I've missed you." she said, smiling.

"I missed you too, I'm sorry I was away so long." the boy said, looking up at her pretty face. She smiled and kissed his forehead again, then held him at arms length. "You've grown since I've last seen you!" she said admiringly.

Sora blushed. "Well...growing boy and all that." he shrugged.

The other boy approached them now, looking to Sora. "You have friends all over this place I don't even know about!" he chuckled.

Now that he was closer, Aerith looked hard at this other boy. His eyes, a strange ethereal green, caught her attention only second to his mane of white hair. Though Aerith had never laid eyes on Riku before, he seemed to her like an after image, and echo of a memory.

"Riku this is–" Sora began.

"Aerith. I heard." the boy nodded, extending his hand. Aerith took his in both of hers. "Nice to meet you."

"You too, Riku." she answered.

"Aerith?" a voice from within the shop was heard. A moment later a tall blonde man, dressed in a black sleeveless turtleneck and black jeans stepped outside the door. "Who is it?"

"Look who's come to visit," Aerith said turning towards the other man. Cloud Strife's eyes widened a bit when he saw Sora, and at first he said nothing, then smiled.

"So you came back after all." he nodded, folding his arms across his chest.

Sora smirked and put his hands behind his head, "Oh don't act like you're not happy to see me, Cloud!" he chuckled. Cloud's blue eyes drifted from Sora to Riku, and there they staid. The other boy flinched under that piercing blue gaze.

"Nice to meet you, I'm–"

"I know who you are." Cloud answered with no hint of warmth in his voice. "Riku, isn't it? You were the one Sora was looking for. The boy that fell into shadow."

Riku felt both embarrassed and taken aback. "Yes, but all that's changed now." he answered, a bit defensively.

"Glad to hear it." Cloud said again, but didn't sound as though he meant it.

The blonde man went back inside without another word. Aerith sighed after him and then looked back to the boys. "Never mind him. Sora, if you're staying for the night, please consider us. We've got a house above the shop now and there's plenty of room." she nodded.

"We will, Aerith, thanks." Sora nodded.

She kissed his cheek and then waved goodbye as she stepped back into the shop. "Don't forget now!"

Sora nodded as he lead Riku further down the street. When she had gone, he looked back at his boyfriend. "Okay, I have no idea what that was about." he shrugged.

"He doesn't seem to think I'm trust worthy, I guess." Riku shrugged. "Aerith seems nice though." He smirked. "And you two certainly were friendly."

"Don't be gross!" Sora laughed, punching his arm. "She's like a mother to me." he answered and then breathed deeply. "Well, Donald and Goofy are getting supplies, and Chip and Dale are with Cid and the ship so..." he shrugged. "Want to grab something to eat?"

Riku seemed distracted however. He was looking down the street ahead of them. His gaze fell on a figure in black, hood drawn up over his head, standing at one of the street vendor's shops. He wasn't buying anything, however. He seemed to be staring back at Riku.

Instinctively the older boys's hand fell to his side, ready to summon his weapon, but he paused. The stranger in black pulled his hood a little lower and then drifted into the crowd, disappearing.

"Hey, what is it?" Sora asked, looking at how tense his partner was. He followed Riku's intense gaze across the crowd, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked.

"I think we're being followed." Riku answered finally.

Sora blinked. "By who?" he asked.

Riku didn't have an answer however. Men in black cloaks and hoods made him think of Organization Thirteen, but they were gone now. And the person seemed too human, looked too normal to be a Heartless. So what could it be then?

Sora was looking around now too, looking for any sign of a potential enemy. He trusted Riku's judgement on these things, and if he sensed danger, then it must be. But he could see nothing other than the people of Radiant Garden going about their daily business, unaware and unbothered. Was Riku the only one able to see this strange man in black?

After a long pause, they finally decided that the danger had passed and they should move on. It was then that both Sora and Riku felt a hand on their shoulders. Both boys spun, weapons drawn and raised to attack.

Leon brought up his gunblade in defense, staring at the two boys. "Whoa there!" he gasped.

Both Sora and Riku let down their guard immediately, lowering their weapons. "Leon!" Sora gasped, grabbing his chest with his free hand. "Don't sneak up on us like that!"

"Sorry," the older man nodded, tucking the gunblade away in his belt again. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Leon hadn't changed since the last time Sora had seen him, only now he showed the evidence of his recent accident. A bandage was around his forehead, and his left arm hung in a sling.

"Looks like Cid was right about your accident," Sora mused. "Are you sure you should be out walking around like that?" he asked. Surely Aerith would have had a thing or two to say about it, and Yuffie too if he knew anything about the loud-mouthed ninja.

"Oh, I'm alright." Leon insisted, smiling lightly at them. "Just clumsy I guess." he shrugged, then winced and held his injured arm. Somehow Sora couldn't see Leon as the clumsy type. He was much too brooding and serious to let himself get distracted easily.

"I presume this is the legendary Riku," he said then looking to the silver-haired boy. He extended his good hand. "We finally meet in the flesh."

Riku nodded and shook his hand. "A pleasure." he answered.

"I hate to cut and run, but I've some important things to tend too." The brown-haired man nodded stepping past them then. "Merlin should be back by now, if you'd like to check." he added as he walked down the street.

"Hey thanks!" Sora called after him. He paused then. "Did...tell him I was waiting for Merlin?" he asked, looking to Riku.

The green-eyed boy shrugged. "I don't know, but your friends are strange. Come on, let's head back." he nodded, turning and heading back the way they came.

Merlin's house was a cozy, old-fashioned stone cottage that was wedged between a line of taller buildings surrounding the outer walls of Radiant Garden. Sora pushed open the old wooden door and it gave a soft groan.

The house inside was ill-lit and had a musty smell to it. Books were piled from floor to ceiling, surrounding a red velvet arm chair which stood in front of darkened fire-place. A long table, covered with all sorts of magical odds and ends sat near the front door. Across from that, was a large computer console that didn't look like it could belong to a medieval wizard like Merlin. Next to this there was another door, that most assuredly lead to the rest of the cottage.

"Hello?" Sora called into the seemingly empty room. "Merlin?"

"I thought he said he was home?" Riku asked, coming up behind him. Sora shrugged as he looked around the darkened room. "Maybe he went out again."

"No he hasn't!" a dusty, slightly indignant voice squeaked then. Riku and Sora both turned to see a brown barn owl perched on a bookcase next to the fireplace.

"Archimedes!" Sora sighed. "You could have spoke up when we opened the door, you know." He held out his arm and the old owl flew over, perching himself on Sora's elbow. The boy winced slightly as the talons scrapped his skin, but held him all the same.

"More talking animals, I see." Riku nodded. "Eventually I'm sure I'll stop being surprised by this." Sora and the owl ignored him however.

"Archimedes, if Merlin's here, then where is he?" the brown-haired boy said looking around the dusty room. Merlin never really kept a clean house, but it looked ill-used as of late.

"He went into that ridiculous book, of course." the old owl said matter-of-factly, ruffling his fathers. He nipped at a strand of hair that hung down by Sora's ear.

"How can you go into a book?" Riku asked, exploring the room curiously. He picked up a book that was lying open on a pedestal in the corner of the room.

"Careful with that, birdbrain!" Archimedes hooted, flapping his wings slightly in panic as Sora flinched away from them. "That's no ordinary book!"

Riku was seeing this for himself. The pages before him looked old and lovingly worn, with charming illustrations of an old oak tree that appeared to double as a house. A sign in front of it read "Piglet's house."

"He's gone to see that ridiculous bear again." the owl huffed.

"Bear?" Riku asked, but as he did, something extraordinary happened. The little door in the trunk of the tree opened, and out stepped what appeared to be a yellow stuffed bear. Riku watched, captivating, as the drawing walked across the old pages to an illustration of a garden filled with vegetables and a sign that read; "Rabbit's House."

"The book is alive." Riku blinked.

"Don't look at it too long, you'll get sucked in!" Sora gasped, shaking the owl off his arm and hurrying over to Riku. He took the book gently from his hands and replaced it on the pedestal. "Pooh Bear? Pooh!" he called.

The little bear paused in his wanderings. He looked left, then he looked right. Then he looked down at the ground, taking his chin in one stuffed paw curiously.

"Up here!" Sora called again.

Riku watched in amazement as the bear lifted his head and stared upwards, right at Sora and himself.

"Oh hello there!" Pooh laughed in his funny little voice. "Would you like to come and play?" he asked.

Sora shook his head. "No Pooh, not today. Is Merlin there with you?" he asked.

Winnie the Pooh scratched his soft head, pondering and puzzling. "Tall fellow, grey beard? Pointy hat?" he asked.

"Yes!" Sora nodded.

"Why he's at owl's house. Shall I get him for you?" he asked.

"That won't be necessary, Pooh Bear, thank you." another voice from inside the book said. Near the top of the page there was an illustration of a stately old tree with a balcony perched below a hole that might have been a door. From it, a tall gangly looking old man in a blue robe with a blue hat was emerging.

"Well stand back boys, unless you'd like to be stepped on!" the old man shouted up at them. Sora and Riku immediately backed away from the book. In a flash of light and a puff of smoke, Merlin stood before them in all his ancient glory. And as grumpy as ever.

"It is very rude to intrude into an old man's house without invitation, Sora." he said, smoothing out the length of beard.

"I'm sorry Merlin but it's very–"

"Important, yes I know. It's always very important." Merlin muttered hobbling past them and over to his comfy arm chair, which he sunk into with a grateful groan. "So what is this very important business you wish to see me about, eh?" he asked, extending one long boney hand. Across the room, a teacup floated into the air, filled itself with tea from the kettle and floated across the room to him.

At that moment, two other figures made their way through the old wooden door, both looking very out of breath.

"Alright old man!" Donald gasped between puffs of breath as he stood bent double in the doorway. "Change us back!"

"If you don't mind..." Goofy puffed leaning against the doorway.

Merlin smirked at the two of them. "Oh yes, you two." he set his teacup down on the end table next to his cozy red arm chair. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

"WHAT?!" Donald screeched.

Merlin sat down very calmly as Archimedes perched at the top of the chair. "I was given clear instructions from King Mickey that you were not to be returned to your true forms until this mission has been completed. And since the keybearer is here and it clear to me that it is _not_ completed."

Donald looked like he would have liked to strangle the old wizard with his own beard.

Goofy only seemed slightly perplexed. Which was more than usual.

Merlin smiled serenely and looked back at Sora. "You should be a Disney Castle, my boy. Not here, bothering an old man. Although that is not to say I'm not happy to see you alive and well." he added. "But might I inquire as to your unexpected arrival here at Radiant Garden?"

"Well, we were sort of forced into an unexpected detour when we were sucked through this dark portal." Sora answered.

Merlin lifted his white bushy eye-brows so high they nearly disappeared underneath the rim of his blue-hat. "Dark portal, did you say?" he asked, adjusting his glasses.

Sora nodded.

"Very distressing." The owl above his head said, shaking his feathers.

"Very distressing indeed." Merlin answered. "Then it is already spread much farther than the King feared." he mused, stroking the long length of his beard.

"What has?" Sora and Riku said together.

Merlin glanced up at the two of them thoughtfully for a long moment. He stood up again and then began rummaging through piles of books and old papers that were stacked precariously on an old bureau. "Surely it must be in here somewhere..." he murmured. After a few futile moments he grunted and stepped back. "Oh enough of this nonsense. Accio scroll!" he called with a flick of his wand.

A moment later an old scroll lifted itself from the assortment of papers and floated into Merlin's outstretched hand. He smiled, satisfied. "Very good."

After looking it over for a moment, opening it and considering it carefully, he presented it to Sora, who took it curiously.

"I believe that all the King wished for you to know is contained in here. It would be better coming from him, but desperate times..." he said.

"A scroll?" Goofy asked, peering over Sora's shoulder at it. "That's what the King wanted to give Sora?"

"Then why do YOU have it?" Donald snarked, hands on his narrow hips.

Merlin cast an unamused look at King's magician. "I rather think that the King would have liked to give the Keybearer the information himself, but that does not mean that others do not also have the knowledge." he answered icily.

Sora began to open it, but Merlin shook his head. "Best open that somewhere else, boy. Too many eyes and ears, if you understand me." he said, looking at Sora closely.

Sora took this to mean that the information in the scroll was meant only for him. He nodded and tucked it into his pants pocket, securing it there.

"Thanks for the help Merlin. I'll tell the King you–."

"I'm sure you will." Merlin nodded sitting back down again. With another friendly wave from Sora and Riku, and a cold glare from Donald, they four companions were on their way again.

Archimedes sneezed at them as they left. "What a nuisance." he grumbled.

"Yes," Merlin nodded. "But a necessary one. Like yourself." the old man grinned, ruffling the bird's feathers.

Archimedes puffed out his chest indignantly.

After a hearty dinner and much conversation with old friends, our heroes retired to their rooms. Donald and Goofy each took a bunk in the spare bedroom, while Sora and Riku shared the other guest room. Both Cloud and Aerith had raised an eyebrow at this, but neither said anything.

As they got dressed for bed, Riku stood looking out the window of the small bedroom. It looked down onto the street below, which was now empty and dark save for the street lights. Above them, the moon was in full, and dousing everything in silver.

"I never really realized how beautiful this town was." he said, pulling off his shirt and discarding it on the chair next to him.

"Yeah, she's something special." Sora called from the small adjoining bathroom. He brushed his teeth, rinsed, and then came to join Riku at the window. "I feel at home here for some reason." he added. He put his arms around Riku's waist and began to kiss the bare skin of his back.

Riku smiled and put his hand on Sora's. "Don't you have a scroll to read?" he asked softly.

"It can wait a bit longer." Sora grinned. He nipped Riku's shoulder and then slid his tongue across the nape of his neck. "Want to?" he purred.

Riku smiled thoughtfully, wondering if it was a good idea with everyone so close by. At least at the beach they had privacy. Sora's fingers crept to the waistband of Riku's jeans and tried to slither underneath, but Riku caught them.

He turned around, still holding Sora's hands in his, and kissed his finger tips. "Can you be quiet about it?" he asked.

Sora gave him an abashed look. "And just what is that supposed to mean?" he asked. Riku pulled him closer and kissed him, sliding his tongue into the younger man's mouth. Sora sighed into his mouth, pressing himself up against the other boy.

The silver-haired nineteen year old wrapped his arms around his partner's waist and lifted him, carrying him over to the bed, which they fell onto with a quiet thud. No squeaky mattress, that would make things a bit easier.

Riku was unzipping Sora's tank-top while he yanked Riku's jeans down around his ankles. Sora sighed again when Riku sucked on the sensitive spot where his neck and collar bone met.

"Is the door locked?" Riku breathed against Sora's skin.

"Huh?" Sora mumbled, burying his hands in Riku's hair while the other boy pulled his shorts down.

"The door..." Riku grumbled before seizing Sora's mouth and stroking his tongue with his. Sora groaned softly and pulled Riku down closer to him. Then they heard movement outside.

Riku's head snapped up as Sora's fell back with a "plop" against the sheets. Neither moved or made a sound as they listened intently. More footsteps then, coming closer to the door.

Riku was off the bed in one fluid motion, grabbing his discarded jeans and pulling them back up, as Sora did the same. The brunette yanked his shirt back over his head and then walked quickly to the door. He paused, listening again.

Then he popped open the door, thrusting his head out into the corridor. To his surprise he saw Leon standing there, looking a bit startled.

"Leon?" the boy stuttered. He lowered his voice at once to a whisper. "What are you–?"

Leon pressed a finger to his lips. "Shh." he hushed. He looked over his shoulder, checking to see that none of the other rooms had been disturbed, and then motioned Sora into the hall. Sora slipped outside quietly, shutting the door behind him.

"I'm on patrol, is all." Leon explained. "I was checking the shop, I thought I'd come up and see if Cloud and Aerith were alright."

"You have a key?" Sora asked.

"You can't be too careful, Sora. Radiant Garden may look like a paradise now, but there are still plenty of Heartless to deal with. And they can pop up anywhere, as you know." he nodded. He then looked at the boy's disheveled clothing and tousled hair. "I'm sorry...did I interrupt something?" he asked, trying to keep himself from smiling.

"No!" Sora insisted, laughing nervously. "I was just uh...getting ready for bed is all and uh," but he paused again. The door across the hall and Cloud stepped out, looking at the two of them.

"Is there some trouble, Leon?" he asked.

The brunette man should his head, adjusting his bum arm in it's sling. "No, everything seems all clear, Cloud. Sorry to wake you." he answered.

"It looks more like you woke Sora." the blonde-haired man said, eyeing Sora's rumpled appearance.

"That's what I said." Leon nodded, smirking at Sora.

"Well if everything's alright, I—." The boy began, before either man could ask him any more embarrassing questions. Then he heard another strange sound. Like a muffled thud from the bedroom behind him. All three men tensed at the sound.

Sora turned and threw the door open. "Riku?" he asked. His eyes went wide. "Riku!"

Riku was on his back on the bed. A man dressed entirely in black with short silver hair was on top of the young man, trying to get his hands above his head. His knee was driven into Riku's stomach, holding him down. At the open window, and other man in black, this time with silver hair that hung to his elbows, was apparently keeping watch.

When Sora and the others appeared in the doorway, his raised a gunblade—much like the one Leon carried–and fired.

Sora deflected the bullet with the Keyblade, which at once appeared at his grasp. He lunged at the man that was on top of Riku, while Leon shot at the stranger in the window.

Sora leapt at the short-haired man, ready to knock him in the head, when he was suddenly hit hard from the left and knocked the floor. Sora blinked up at a third stranger, with the same silver hair that fell over his eyes and to his chin. This one smirked at him and laughed a bit.

"The keybearers come to play, brothers!" he chuckled, his voice high and full of sly self-confidence.

Sora stood up with a yell and started to go at this man again, but each attack was easily avoided. The man swung his own weapon–a double bladed katana–and struck Sora across the back with the blunt end. Sora grunted and fell forward, but recovered in time to stop him from stabbing him.

"Kadaj!" Cloud's voice barked suddenly next to him. The man leapt away as Cloud swung his buster sword at the fiend and came to stand over Sora.

"Big brother!" The man laughed, looking at the former SOLIDER. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon!" he added.

Leon meanwhile had chased the long-haired man out onto the roof. They had passed out of sight, but Sora could hear the exchange of gunfire above their heads.

"FREEZE!" Donald shouted. A blast of icy air rippled through the room as the man on top of Riku cried out. His arm was covered in thin layer of ice. With this distraction, Riku was able to kick him off him, and summon his own bat-wing blade.

"Donald! Goofy!" Sora gasped, looking to his friends as the stood in the door way, ready for battle.

"Hang on Sora, we're coming!" Goofy cried, running into the room with his shield up. He grabbed Sora's hand, hoisting him to his feet. Then the boy leapt up onto the black-haired boy's shoulders, launching himself across the room at Kadaj.

The other man easily avoided Sora's attack, but was nicked across the shoulder by the keyblade. As soon as Sora had swung, Cloud dove in too, with another powerful thrust of his own weapon. It missed Kadaj and ripped through the drywall of the room, exposing wood and wiring.

The short haired man, meanwhile, had gotten back to his feet after Donald's icy blast. "That's not playing fair!" he gasped, much like a child who has just been bullied.

He raised his right hand, which was equipped with some sort of electro-shock glove, and lunged at Riku and Donald.

Riku grabbed Donald and flipped backwards off the bed, just avoiding the blow as the bed exploded in flash of sparks and feathers. Angrily he picked up the bed and heaved it at his two opponents. Riku yelled as he sliced through the oncoming object with his blade, splitting it in half and sending its remains crashing to either side of him as Donald charged again with a cry of "LIGHTING!"

The man grinned, his strange green eyes seeming to glow, and raised his gloved hand. To Donald's horror he seemed to absorb the power of his spell and the hurl it back at them.

"DARK SHIELD!" Riku cried, throwing open his arms as haze of black and purple force field enveloped he and Donald.

Goofy then leapt at the man from behind, plowing his shield into his back like a battering ram. Loz tumbled across the ground, but threw out his foot, knocking Goofy to the floor.

"Loz! Forget them!" Kadaj shouted them. He avoided another swing from both Sora and Cloud and leapt out the open window. The man named Loz gave on last grin to Riku and the others, then followed his brother out the window.

Outside, the sounds of gunshots faded. Cloud climbed out the window after them, while Sora dropped back to check on Riku and his friends. He ran immediately to Riku, who threw his arms around him. "Are you–?" Sora gasped.

"No, I'm not hurt." Riku answered. He hugged him hard then pulled away. "Are you?"

"No." Sora shook his head. He bent to help Goofy off the ground and the knight rubbed his aching rear.

"What the heck just happened?" he asked. "Those guys didn't look like Heartless."

"Or Nobodies." Donald added.

"They weren't after me." Sora said suddenly, staring at Riku. "It was you they wanted." Donald and Goofy turned to stare at the silver-haired boy with curiosity as he rubbed his offended throat. Aerith came dashing into the room then in her nightgown and robe.

"Cloud, don't you ever lock me in that room again or I'll–." she was yelling when she saw Sora and the others. "Is everyone alright?" she gasped, immediately grabbing for Sora and hugging him. "I'm fine Aerith, I'm fine!" Sora gasped, trying to wriggle out of her grasp.

She looked about at the decimated room and then back at Sora. "Where is Cloud?" she asked.

As if on cue, the blonde slipped back in through the window, looking angry and flustered. "They got away." he grunted.

Aerith rushed towards him, raised her hand, and cracked it across his face. Cloud flinched from the blow, blinking. "Don't you ever lock me in that room again!" she yelled. "You know I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself Cloud Strife, what are you thinking!?"

It was odd to for Sora to see Aerith being anything other than sweet and gentle. Still, he supposed Cloud deserved that for being overprotective.

"I'm sorry." Cloud said.

Aerith opened her mouth to say something, then threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Cloud wrapped his arms around the smaller woman, stroking her back gently. Leon came through the window then too, looking just as angry and flustered as Cloud.

"How the hell did this happen? I've got patrol men everywhere!" he barked, looking furious. He yanked the bandage from around his head, exposing a still-healing gash, and throwing it to the ground in frustration.

"Your patrolmen aren't looking for humans, that's why." Cloud answered him, still holding Aerith. "I'm sure they slipped into the town completely unnoticed." He looked at Riku then and stepped towards him. "What do Kadaj and his gang want with you?" he asked.

Riku blinked. "Why are you asking me?" he asked, stepping towards the taller man.

"We've never seen those people before!" Sora added then, coming between Cloud and Riku. The two seemed to be in a stare down, when Aerith put her hand on Cloud's arm. "Cloud, don't..." she said quietly. The two exchanged a private looks, and then Cloud looked to Sora.

"Whatever it is you need to do here, you'd better do it soon. Things have just gotten more dangerous for the both of you." he said. He looked at Leon then, "You'll put out a watch? Get Yuffie on it?" he asked.

Leon was in the process of closing his cell phone at that point. "Already done." he answered. He nodded to the others and then headed out the door without another word.

"They won't try anything again tonight. They know they're outnumbered. Still," Cloud paused and walked back over to the window, pulling it shut and locking it. "Keep this closed."

"I don't understand...how do you know those guys, Cloud?" Sora asked. Cloud did not answer him, and surveyed the destroyed room. "What a mess." he grunted.

"He asked you a question." Riku grunted, looking hard at Cloud.

The blonde man would not meet his gaze, and then said "They're friends of an old enemy. And they are very dangerous." With that he left the room, heading downstairs to the flower shop.

Aerith sighed in aggravation, looked desperately at Sora, Riku and the others, and then dashed after him. She caught Cloud as he reached the bottom of the stares.

"Why are you doing this to him?" she asked.

"Because it's obvious what they want!" Cloud snapped, looking back at her. "Once Kadaj decides he wants something he won't stop till he gets it. Riku is putting Sora in danger just by being near him–."

"But he doesn't know!" Aerith cut in then. "You don't know why Kadaj and the others want him, and neither does Riku. You can't presume he'll be just like them, Cloud, it's unfair!" she insisted.

Cloud gritted his teeth. "I won't watch Sora be cut down trying to protect him." he said firmly. Aerith laid herself against him and Cloud held her. For a moment they both stood silent. "It's Sora's life, and you can't interfere. Not unless you're ready to tell them both the truth." she said.


End file.
